Europe’s leaders in secret talks over future of Schengen

European Union leaders observe a minute of silence to honour the victims of the attacks in Paris, at the G-20 Summit in Antalya, TurkeyAP

European Union governments are holding secret talks over ditching borderless travel within the continent as fears grow that the migration crisis is pushing Germany towards a political crisis.

In a further blow to the 26-country passport-free Schengen zone, Bernard Cazeneuve, the French interior minister, announced yesterday that border controls would continue on the nation’s frontiers “until the terrorist threat is over”. He was speaking after emergency anti-terrorism talks in Brussels.

A senior European diplomat told The Times that the present system was “simply not working”. Talks to find a “plan B” have begun, spurred on by fears that three million more migrants are heading to Europe as the Syrian civil war grinds on.

“This is a real and urgent discussion going on in government cabinets…

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